Olive Oil for Cholesterol: What the Research and the EU Claim Wording Actually Say
If you are searching for olive oil for cholesterol, you have probably been told two things at once: that olive oil is one of the healthiest fats you can eat, and that it is still pure fat. Both are true, and neither tells you what the research on blood cholesterol actually measured. This article reads the trials at the level of their numbers — who took part, how much oil, for how long, and what changed — and it quotes the two EU health claims that mention olive oil and blood lipids word for word, including the conditions most articles leave out. Olive oil is a food, not a medicine, and nothing here replaces advice from your GP. It is simply the honest picture of what has been studied.
For our own oil, see our cold-pressed organic Marrakech olive oil.
The Short Answer
- Olive oil contains no cholesterol. Its effect on blood cholesterol comes from the type of fat it contains.
- Its main fat is oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat. The EU permits a claim that replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats "contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels" — a claim about the swap, not about olive oil on its own.
- In the EUROLIVE trial (Covas et al., 2006; 200 healthy men, 25 mL a day for three weeks), HDL rose slightly and oxidised LDL fell as polyphenol content went up.
- A 2023 meta-analysis of 34 randomised trials found that simply adding more olive oil had trivial effects on blood lipids; the benefit lies mainly in what it replaces.
- Olive oil is not the strongest LDL-lowering oil in every comparison: a small 2000 trial found LDL 10–20% higher on an olive oil diet than on rapeseed or sunflower oil diets.
- The EU polyphenol claim applies only to oils tested at 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and derivatives per 20 g. Sidr & Stone does not yet hold a lab certificate for that figure, so we do not make that claim for our oil.
Does Olive Oil Contain Cholesterol, and Does It Raise It?
No. Olive oil contains no cholesterol, because cholesterol is made by animals, not plants; the USDA states plainly that oils from plant sources do not contain any cholesterol. What matters for blood cholesterol is the fat olive oil replaces: swapped for butter or lard, its unsaturated fat is the kind UK guidance recommends.
That second point is where the confusion usually sits. Olive oil is predominantly oleic acid — the International Olive Council's trade standard allows between 55 and 83 per cent of its fatty acids to be oleic, depending on origin and variety — and oleic acid is an unsaturated fat. The NHS advice on lowering cholesterol lists "olive oil, rapeseed oil and spreads made from these oils" among the healthier fats, and butter, lard, ghee and coconut oil among those to eat less of.
Could it raise cholesterol? Not in the way butter does — but adding it on top of an unchanged diet is not the same as using it instead of saturated fat, as the trials below show.
What the Cholesterol Trials Actually Measured
Most articles on this topic say "studies show" and stop there. The useful detail is in the design. Four studies that measured blood lipids directly:
| Study | Design and size | What was compared | Main lipid finding |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUROLIVE — Covas et al., 2006, Annals of Internal Medicine | Randomised crossover trial, 200 healthy men, six centres in five European countries | 25 mL a day of three olive oils differing only in polyphenol content, three weeks each | HDL rose and oxidised LDL fell as polyphenol content increased |
| Khaw et al., 2018, BMJ Open | Randomised trial, 94 adults aged 50–75 in Cambridgeshire, four weeks | 50 g a day of extra virgin olive oil, extra virgin coconut oil or butter | LDL rose on butter compared with olive oil (+0.38 mmol/L) |
| Jabbarzadeh-Ganjeh et al., 2023, British Journal of Nutrition | Dose-response meta-analysis of 34 randomised trials, 1,730 participants | Each extra 10 g of olive oil a day | Trivial effects on total, LDL and HDL cholesterol (low to very low certainty) |
| Pedersen et al., 2000, Journal of Lipid Research | Double-blind crossover trial, 18 young healthy men, three-week periods | Olive oil, rapeseed oil and sunflower oil diets at the same fat intake | LDL 10–20% higher after the olive oil diet |
EUROLIVE: polyphenols and HDL
EUROLIVE is the most cited trial on olive oil polyphenols and cholesterol. Covas and colleagues (2006) gave 200 healthy men 25 mL a day of low-, medium- and high-polyphenol olive oils in random order, each for three weeks. HDL cholesterol rose in a straight line with polyphenol content — by 0.025, 0.032 and 0.045 mmol/L respectively — and the total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio fell. Oxidised LDL fell meaningfully only on the high-polyphenol oil. The authors list the limits themselves: short periods, self-reported diet, and possible interaction with other foods. It was also men only.
The Khaw trial (2018) shows the other half of the picture: on 50 g a day for four weeks, LDL was 0.38 mmol/L higher on butter than on olive oil. That is evidence about a swap, and it is the pattern most of the research follows.
The Honest Caveat: Olive Oil Is Not Always the Biggest LDL Mover
A sceptical reader will ask whether olive oil really beats other unsaturated oils. On LDL alone, not always. In a small double-blind trial, Pedersen and colleagues (2000) fed 18 young healthy men diets built around olive oil, rapeseed oil or sunflower oil for three weeks each. LDL cholesterol was 10–20% higher after the olive oil diet than after the other two. In that trial, the oils richer in polyunsaturated fat left LDL lower.
The 2023 meta-analysis by Jabbarzadeh-Ganjeh, Jayedi and Shab-Bidar adds a second caution. Pooling 34 randomised trials with 1,730 participants, they found that each additional 10 g of olive oil a day had only trivial effects on blood lipids, with the evidence rated low or very low certainty. Adding olive oil does not, by itself, move cholesterol much.
Neither finding makes olive oil a poor choice. It explains why UK guidance names olive and rapeseed oil, and why the case for olive oil rests on the wider picture — polyphenols and the Mediterranean diet, covered in our article on olive oil and heart health — rather than on LDL alone.
The Two EU Health Claims, Word for Word
Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 lists the general health claims permitted on foods in the EU; the same list continues in UK assimilated law. Two entries concern olive oil and blood lipids. We read both in the consolidated text on EUR-Lex and on legislation.gov.uk before quoting them here.
Olive oil polyphenols
Claim: "Olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress."
Conditions: "The claim may be used only for olive oil which contains at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives (e.g. oleuropein complex and tyrosol) per 20 g of olive oil. In order to bear the claim information shall be given to the consumer that the beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 20 g of olive oil."
Oleic acid
Claim: "Replacing saturated fats in the diet with unsaturated fats contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels. Oleic acid is an unsaturated fat."
Conditions: "The claim may be used only for food which is high in unsaturated fatty acids, as referred to in the claim HIGH UNSATURATED FAT as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006." That annex requires at least 70% of the fatty acids to come from unsaturated fat, with unsaturated fat providing more than 20% of the product's energy.
Read carefully, neither claim says olive oil lowers cholesterol. The polyphenol claim concerns oxidation of blood lipids and attaches to a measured polyphenol level, not to the words "extra virgin". The oleic acid claim is about replacing saturated fat. For polyphenols, meeting the condition means a laboratory result. Our guide to olive oil polyphenols explains how those levels vary.
What This Means If You Are Watching Your Cholesterol
If your cholesterol is high, speak to your GP first; diet can support a plan but does not replace prescribed treatment. Within that, the evidence points to a few habits:
- Swap, don't add. Use olive oil where you would otherwise use butter, lard, ghee or coconut oil.
- Mind the amount. Like every oil, olive oil is calorie-dense; our note on how much olive oil per day the studies used is a sensible guide.
- Choose extra virgin for polyphenols. Refined and "light" oils lose most of them.
- Keep other oils in the mix. Rapeseed oil has its own evidence for LDL.
- Look at the whole diet. Fibre, vegetables and less processed meat matter as much as the oil.
Blood pressure is a separate question with its own evidence; see olive oil and blood pressure. For choosing a bottle, our guide to choosing a quality olive oil walks through the label checks that matter.
Why Sidr & Stone
The research above is about olive oil in general, and we will not borrow it for our own bottle. Sidr & Stone does not yet hold a laboratory certificate for its oil's polyphenol content, so we do not use the EU polyphenol claim — when a certificate is on file, we will publish the figure.
- Single-estate — Sidr & Stone's olive oil comes from our own family-owned farm on the plains outside Marrakech, Morocco, and we control every step from tree to bottle.
- Rain-fed — the trees are not irrigated; they take what the season gives.
- Organically grown — no synthetic fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides are used (not yet certified; certification is in progress).
- Single harvest — a small, limited single-harvest batch, picked when the fruit is ready.
- Cold-pressed within hours of harvest — to protect flavour, aroma and the natural polyphenols.
- Unfiltered extra virgin — minimally processed, so a little natural sediment is normal.
- 100% natural — a single ingredient, olive oil, with nothing added.
- 500ml dark glass with a gold label — packaging that shields the oil from light.
- 10% of profits to charity, with fulfilment in the UK, EU, and US.
We will not tell you Sidr & Stone is the best olive oil for cholesterol — that is exactly the kind of claim this article warns against. We will only print a polyphenol figure once a laboratory has measured it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is olive oil good for cholesterol?
Used instead of saturated fats such as butter, olive oil fits the swap that UK guidance recommends for healthy cholesterol levels. On its own, adding more olive oil has shown only trivial effects in trials. If your cholesterol is high, speak to your GP.
Does olive oil contain cholesterol?
No. Cholesterol comes from animal foods; oils from plants, including olive oil, contain none.
Can olive oil raise cholesterol?
Not in the way saturated fat does. In a 2018 UK trial, LDL rose on butter compared with olive oil. But olive oil is calorie-dense, and one small trial found LDL higher on olive oil than on rapeseed or sunflower oil.
Is extra virgin olive oil better than regular olive oil for cholesterol?
The fat profile is similar, but extra virgin keeps far more polyphenols. In the EUROLIVE trial, HDL rose more and oxidised LDL fell more as polyphenol content increased.
Does Sidr & Stone's olive oil carry the EU polyphenol claim?
No. The claim requires a measured level of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives, and we do not yet hold a lab certificate showing it. We will publish one when we do.
Is olive oil or rapeseed oil better for LDL cholesterol?
On LDL alone, oils richer in polyunsaturated fat, such as rapeseed and sunflower, lowered it more in at least one controlled trial. The NHS lists both olive and rapeseed oil as healthier choices.
Where can I buy Sidr & Stone olive oil?
Our single-estate Marrakech olive oil is available to pre-order from our website, with fulfilment in the UK, EU, and US.
Is olive oil a medicine?
No. Olive oil is a food, not a medicine. It has a long traditional history — including being honoured in the Prophetic Sunnah — and a substantial body of modern research, particularly around polyphenols, cardiovascular health, and the Mediterranean diet pattern. It can be a worthwhile part of a healthy routine, but it does not cure diseases and is not a substitute for medical care. Be cautious of any olive oil marketed with specific disease-cure claims.
Final Thoughts
The honest answer on olive oil and cholesterol is narrower than the headlines, and more useful. The best-supported benefit is the swap: olive oil in place of butter and other saturated fats. Good extra virgin oil's polyphenols add something measurable — a small HDL rise and less oxidised LDL in EUROLIVE — at levels a laboratory can confirm.
The exact EU wording matters for the same reason: it tells you what a bottle may claim and what it must prove first. Treat olive oil as a good everyday fat within a plan agreed with your GP, not as a treatment.
Our cold-pressed organic Marrakech olive oil — single-estate, rain-fed and pressed within hours of harvest — is available to pre-order now, with fulfilment in the UK, EU, and US.
Our extra virgin olive oil is grown organically on our own single-estate farm on the plains outside Marrakech: we control every step from tree to bottle, and no synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilisers are used. It is not yet certified organic — certification is in progress, and we will publish it as soon as it comes through.
Pre-Order Sidr & Stone Organic Marrakech Olive Oil — Limited Single-Harvest Batch →
Disclaimer: This article describes published research and EU and UK health-claim rules on olive oil and blood cholesterol at the time of writing; research findings and regulations may change, and readers should check current sources. Olive oil is a food, not a medicine, and is not a substitute for medical treatment of any condition. If you have high cholesterol or take cholesterol-lowering medication, speak to your GP before changing your diet. For any health concern, consult a qualified medical professional.